A new compact control unit for CNC using SoCs technology

This paper introduces a new complete design and implementation of a System on Chip (SoC) control unit for three dimensions CNC, using FPGA technology. Intelligent controlling software is designed and integrated in the system using a standard HPGL format. A new communication strategy for optimum utilization of the required integrated memory is introduced and implemented. The new SoC design has achieved an overall resolution of 2 micron in three-dimensional operations. The introduced SoC system replaces the microprocessors and microcontrollers based CNC control unit with highly sophisticated control circuits and also has the advantages that it can be upgraded, expanded and run at very high frequencies in comparison with microprocessor based systems.